"What happened after that?" Lucian questioned.
"Completely random things, moving objects without touching them, hearing sounds that others couldn't, even fixing broken things. Once, a cup shattered, and just by focusing on it, I was able to restore it as if it had never broken in the first place," Lilith explained.
Lucian studied her carefully. "Did you tell anyone about your experiences?" he inquired.
"I did. At first, I told my mother, but she dismissed it, saying I was just imagining things. Even when I tried to show her what I could do, she grew agitated and forbade me from ever speaking of magic again. And I knew better, the people of Eryndor loathed magic as if it were a deadly poison. After being shut down by her multiple times, I stopped telling her anything. Whenever she asked if I was still 'imagining things,' I simply told her they had stopped," Lilith said, her voice tinged with sadness.
She was so lost in thought that she didn't realize they had arrived at the prince's chamber until Lucian stopped in front of the door. Letting out a quiet sigh, she whispered a thank you to him. He nodded in acknowledgment before turning away, disappearing down the hall toward his own quarters.
Lilith hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open. Her eyes immediately found Hades standing by the fireplace, dressed in his heavy fur-lined robe. His damp hair clung slightly to his forehead, indicating he had just finished bathing. A small wave of relief washed over her, at least he hadn't summoned her to prepare a bath for him. She wasn't in the mood to walk up and down the stairs ten times.
"Good evening, Your Highness," Lilith greeted with a bow.
Hades narrowed his eyes as he stepped closer. "Ah, you look terribly pale and tired. Did you not rest well?"
"I... I am fine, Your Highness. I will look better in the morning once I wake up," Lilith replied, instinctively taking a step back as he leaned in. He was so close she could feel the heat radiating from his body.
"Is your bedroom not comfortable enough for you?" he questioned, studying her face.
"It is, Your Highness," she assured him.
"Well, I don't think so. Perhaps, you should sleep on my bed tonight. I assure you, it is very comfortable." Hades spun around and made his way to the bed, pulling the blanket halfway down before patting the mattress lightly. "Come on, witch. You are about to have the best sleep of your life."
Lilith's eyes widened in shock. "What?! No… no, my bed is just fine. You don't have to sacrifice your comfort for me, Your Highness." Her voice rose slightly in alarm.
"Nonsense," Hades said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Come on, witch. Don't be shy."
"This is highly inappropriate, Your Highness. I cannot sleep in your room. I am an unchaperoned lady, alone with a man at night. This is wrong," Lilith protested, silently pleading with the gods that her words would be enough to sway him from this ridiculous idea.
Hades let out a deep chuckle. "You are a funny girl, witch. You don't exactly have a reputation to uphold, and I highly doubt anyone would care if you spent the night here."
Lilith clenched her fists tightly, anger surging through her. This man was constantly insulting her. How dare he? "Forgive me, Your Highness, but I will not sleep in the same bed with a man I have no relations with, even if he is a prince."
Her eyes widened as Hades chuckled again, this time louder and longer. What had she said that was so amusing?
"Dear goodness, you are such a funny person." Hades smiled, wiping away imaginary tears from his eyes. "I don't recall mentioning that you would be sleeping in the same bed as me." He paused, "Anyway, come sleep. I can't bear looking at your exhausted face any longer." He gestured toward the bed.
Lilith swallowed hard, glancing between the prince and the large, luxurious bed. Under his watchful gaze, she hesitated before slowly stepping forward.
Hades tapped the mattress, encouraging her. "Go on."
She hesitated for a moment longer before reluctantly climbing onto the bed. Truth be told, it was incredibly soft and comfortable. The plush mattress and silky sheets were unlike anything she had ever laid on. Keeping as much distance as possible, she rested her head on one of the pillows, turning away from Hades.
"See? That wasn't so hard. It's not like I'm going to feed you to hungry wolves." Hades pulled the blanket over her, tucking it up to her neck. "Shall I read you a bedtime story too?"
"No, y—"
"Bedtime story it is." Hades walked over to his shelf, picking up one book after another. After a few moments, he sighed dramatically. "I suppose I don't have anything suitable to read to you tonight. I'll just tell you a story from my head instead." He dragged a chair to the bedside and casually propped his long legs up on the bed.
Lilith opened her mouth to protest, but Hades was already speaking.
"A poor orphan girl was gifted a pig who became her closest friend. They were together for years, inseparable. But when the girl had no one to care for her, she grew hungrier and hungrier. Until, at last, she couldn't bear it any longer, so she killed her pig friend and ate him. The end." He finished with a proud smile.
Lilith narrowed her eyes at him, utterly baffled. What was wrong with this man? That was the most unhinged bedtime story she had ever heard.
"Sleep well, witch," Hades said, smirking. "Go on, close your eyes."
With an exhausted sigh, Lilith did as he said, shutting her eyes. The room fell into silence, so quiet that if a needle dropped, she was sure she would hear it hit the floor. A wave of fatigue washed over her, and soon, she drifted into a deep sleep.